Unraveling Evolutionary Dynamics: Insights from In Silico Experiments on Selective Mechanisms in Controlled Environments

In this paper, we present a series of in silico experiments aimed at exploring the evolutionary dynamics unfolding in a model of colorectal cancer (CRC)development. Our investigation involves several methods, starting with the standard model commonly used in population genetics to measure natural selection on allele frequencies. We also apply the Price equation, a well-establishedformalism known for its effectiveness in tracking evolving relationship between entities over time (e.g., differences between parental and offspring traits). The model results are then analysed to explain how the selection mechanisms work in the context provided by the simulated world. While natural selection is often considered a statistical phenomenon resulting from changes ingenotypic population frequencies, our work suggests that in models with extensive environmental control it is possible to identify the specific elements responsible for exerting selection pressure on the so-called selection units. In this way, we explore the possibility of deciphering the factors that drive and are driven by the selection process.